A drizzly morning and seriously high tides did not look promising, we braved the breakers to head down to The Sun, the only beach front restaurant that was open, for breakfast. Walking back felt like we were on a different beach and different island, the sea was rough and had literally trashed the beach; bottles, shoes, styrofoam, fishing traps, oil containers and all manner of crap had washed up. Now it dawned on me why everything closes at this time of year.
Undeterred we headed into the rustic little town on the resort owners decrepit old Honda to rent a couple of motorbikes and explore the island. There are no cars and no cops here so getting around is safe and hassle free, even for novice riders. People had turned their rickety wooden homes it makeshift gas stations selling over-priced bottles of petrol to motorcyclists that didn't have enough to cover the 12km length of the island. We rode along single track concrete paths in various states of repair to the end of Ao Yai to find it desolate and devoid of life, everything on the busiest beach on the island was closed.
Appearing like some kind of grotesque monument to the amount of trash that gets washed up here someone had nailed hundreds of flip-flops to the trees.
To follow: more on two wheels.
Koh Phayam
Re: Koh Phayam
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Koh Phayam
Back on the bikes we headed into town again for some lunch before exploring Ao Mae Mai and having a five star ice-cream in the most expensive resort on the island; Blue Sky. This is where all the nouveau-riche, selfie obsessed Thais were hiding. We made a quick exit and ventured up the piers to see what the fishermen had caught only to be told that the sea was as devoid of life as the rest of the island today.
To follow: Ao Yai
To follow: Ao Yai
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Koh Phayam
Back on the road we headed to the northern end of Ao Yai in hope of finding a little beach bar for a sundowner. It too was bleak and abandoned, and looked as if a tsunami had just hit it; piles of trash on the beach, dilapidated bungalow resorts overgrown with weeds, and a beach bar half collapsed into the sea. This island must undergo an immense transformation and cleanup operation every year.
We rode back to our own beach, cracked a cold one and sat back to enjoy another Archipelago sunset. Dining that evening was in our own resort where the restaurant was actually open, the staff were all Burmese and the food was very good, though no Myanmar Beer.
To follow: final day on the island
We rode back to our own beach, cracked a cold one and sat back to enjoy another Archipelago sunset. Dining that evening was in our own resort where the restaurant was actually open, the staff were all Burmese and the food was very good, though no Myanmar Beer.
To follow: final day on the island
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
- Bamboo Grove
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Re: Koh Phayam
During my trips to Victoria Point from Ranong I often saw huge jellyfish floating near the surface. Any of them around this island during your visit?
Back in Bamboo Grove
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
Re: Koh Phayam
No, didn't see any this time around.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Koh Phayam
After checkout the following day, we rode back to the Blue Sky Resort for some photos to find it almost inundated by the high tide. Touted as the 'Maldives in Thailand' rooms at this place go for 8,000 baht per night. As midday approached we dropped off the bikes and jumped on the twin engined rocket ship that would get us back in Ranong in no time.
I would like to explore Koh Phayam when more of it is open, but then the isolation and tranquility you get with an empty beach devoid of iPad toting glampackers, couples, and selfie snapping Asians would be lost amongst the reggae, tattoos, pancakes and marijuana that high season will inevitably bring.
Full trip report and photos here: http://ontheroadasia.com/koh-phayam.php
I would like to explore Koh Phayam when more of it is open, but then the isolation and tranquility you get with an empty beach devoid of iPad toting glampackers, couples, and selfie snapping Asians would be lost amongst the reggae, tattoos, pancakes and marijuana that high season will inevitably bring.
Full trip report and photos here: http://ontheroadasia.com/koh-phayam.php
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
- dtaai-maai
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- Rock Star
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Re: Koh Phayam
dtaai-maai wrote:I love the Smile Hut photo:"Okay boys, look miserable... NOW!"
One of my most enjoyable reads on the forum to date.
I enjoy my 'tales of woe' and 'when holidays go wrong' stories and this one tickled my tastebuds. I particularly liked the part when you took your boys out early morning to see the fishermen's catch, only to find that it was devoid of life.
Ticket booked and diary adjusted accordingly....pancakes and marijuana that high season will inevitably bring.